Portable air sterilizing and conditioning machine



NOV. 23, 1943. J, B, GRISON A 2,335,056

PORTABLE AIR STERILIZING AND CONDITIONING MACHINE Filed March 16, 1942 3Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Joie/vk G'rbre E* 53 BY' gaz-M ATTURNEY Nov.23, 1943. J. B. GRlsoN PORTABLE AIR STERILIZING AND CONDITIONING MACHINEFiled March 1e, 1942 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 W 4M W. M

lNvzgNToR BY ATTORNEY Nov. 23, 1,943.

J. B. GRlsoN 2,335,056

Filed March 16 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 BY s Q e e E ATTORNEY Patented Nov.23, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT oEFlcE.

PORTABLE AIR SITEBIIIIZING: AND CONDI- l TIONING MACHINE Joseph B.Grison, Braintree, Mass. Application March 18, 1942, Serial No. 4341.820

(Cl. Z50-43) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful `im-A provements in a portableair sterilizing and conditioning machine.

More specifically, the invention proposes the construction of a portableair sterilizing and conditioning machine designed to be used whereverpeople congregate in the home, oillce, garage. or hunting lodge forsimultaneously conditioning and sterilizing the air in such rooms in amanner to heat it to a desired room temperature and kill all air bornebacteria and germs to prevent diphtheria, iniiuenza, pneumonia,Staphylococcus infections, streptococci infections, scarlet lever,tonsilitis, rheumatism, tuberculosis, typhoid fever, whooping cough andother similar contagious diseases.

A further object of this invention proposes the construction of a deviceemploying a germicidal lamp arranged in a manner to have the ultravioletrays emanating therefrom acting upon the air circulating through themachine to destroy the air borne bacteria and germs carried by thecirculating air.

It is a further object of this invention to construct an air sterilizingand conditioning machine using a germicidal lamp capable of generatingbetween 2250 and 2750 milliwatts of ultraviolet wave-length 2537-A, awave-length considerably shorter than that generated by the summer sun,and the wave-length most effective in killing bacteria and germs.

Another object of this invention proposes the construction of a devicecharacterized by a housing having an opening for the circulation of airwith a heater mounted within the housing for warming the air and agermicidal lamp mounted in the bottom of the housing and in the path ofcirculation in a manner to kill air borne germs and bacteria in the airentering the housing.

A still further object of this invention proposes the provision of ameans for slidably mounting the germicidal lamp within the housing in aInanner to be extendable from an opening in one side of said housing tobe extended vertically along.

the said side of said housing.

A further object is to provide a portable electrically operated airconditioning device, which may be plugged into an ordinary domesticelectric circuit supply such as an electric light socket or Wall outletand which may be used for air heating, purifying, humidifying, filteringand deodorizing and cooling for summer use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device whereby theroom air is drawn from the room into a cabinet, through a ltering means,by an electrically operated fan and driven through a means, which willhumidify or dehumidify the air and past a germicidal lamp to kill airborne germs and bacteria. and then carry it through a heated air supplywith which it is mingled before being discharged beek into the room.

For further comprehension of this invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof. reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure-Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portable air sterilizing andconditioning machine constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the germicidal lamp per se. v

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of a portable air sterilizing andconditioning machine constructed in accordance this invention.

Fig. 5 is a partial side elevational view looking in the direction ofthe line yli--S on Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a partial perspective view showing the connection between theslide and base supporting the germicidal lamp.

Fig. '7 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 1-1of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the bolt per se.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view oi' a portion of one of the tracks used forsupporting the slide.

Fig. 10 is a front elevational view of an air conditioning deviceconstructed in accordance with a still further modification of thisinvention.

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line Ii-Il of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the linel2-i2 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line l3-l3 of Fig.11.

Fig. 14 is an end elevational view of the preferred type of water wheelused for humidifying or de-humidifying.

Fig. 15 is a longitudinal detailed view of the duid wheel axle with oneof the fabric cover supporting means and cover shown connected thereto.

Fig. 16 is a schematic device.

'I'he portable air sterilizing and conditioning machine, according tothis invention, includes a housing IU constructed of sheet metal andwhich is provided with convenient openings permitting air to circulatetherethrough. These openings are characterized by an opening II in thebottom wall of the housing and a plurality o1' elongated adjacentopenings I2 formed in the front wall of the housing l0 adjacent the topthereof. The bottom wall of the housing I0 is provided with a pluralityof rollers i3 which are adapted to rest wiring diagram of the with amodiilcation of on the noor and provide a convenient means for movingthe housing from place to place. These rollers I3 are also provided forthe purpose of maintaining the housing I in a position In which itsbottom wall will be elevated slightlyi'rom the door permitting air toenter through the opening II to discharge through the openings i2.

Mounted within the back portion of the housing I0 there is a heater I4provided for the purpose oi warming the air circulating through thehousing III from the bottom opening I I to the top openings I2. 'I'hisheater I4 may be of any desired construction, but it has been found thatan electrically operated steam heater is most advantageous for thepurpose.

A germicidal lamp I is mounted in the bottom portion of the housing I0and in the path of circulation for killing air borne germs and bacteriain the air entering the housing through the bottom opening Il. Thegermicidal lamp I5 is tubular in construction and is provided at itsends with outwardly extended prongs I8 which are adapted to engageconventionally constructed clips I1 mounted upon the endwalls of thehousing Il for supporting the lamp I5 iny a horizontal position acrossthe bottom of the housing I0.

An electric cord Il is provided with a plug I9 and is connected with theheater I4 and the lamp I5, these connections not being shown on thedrawing, for the purpose oi' energizing the heater I4 and supplying therequired current to illuminate the germicidal lamp I5.

'I'he manner in which this form of the invention operates is as follows:

The air sterilizing and conditioning machine is moved to a desiredposition within a room and the plug I9 is engaged into a conventionalhouse outlet for energizing the heater I4 and illuminating thegermicidal lamp I5. The cold air along the iloor of the room will enterthe housing I0 through the opening II and pass upward within the housingto be warmed by the heater I4. The warm air will then discharge throughthe openings I2 formed in the front wall of the housing I0. Whilethe airis circulating through the housing I0 ultra-violet rays from thegermicidal lamp I5 will pass through the air and kill all germs andbacteria carried by the :air to tree the air of these air borne germsand bacteria to lessen the possibility of spreading contagious diseases.

In Figs. 4-9 c,4 modication of the invention is disclosed in which ameans is provided for slidably mounting the germicidal lamp I5' Withinthe housing to be extended from an opening 20 formed in one side of thehousing. The opening 20 is cut in the wall of the housing Ill and isadapted to be closed by means of a pivotally supported door 2l which isengageable across the opening 20 as shown in Fig. 4 and by the dot anddash lines in Fig. 5. The germicidal lamp I5' is mounted within clipsI1' securely attached to a base member 22.

Means is provided for pivotally attaching the base member 22 to a slide23 which engages a pair of oppositely disposed tracks 24 mounted betweenthe side walls of the housing I0. The tracks 24 are constructed ofchannel shaped material which have their arms directed towards eachother to engage about the sides of the slide 23, permitting the slide tobe moved in and out of the housing I0 through the opening 20.

A hinge 25 is provided for pivotally attaching the end of the base 22adjacent the opening 2U -:warmte to the adjacent end of the slide member22. This hinge 25 has one of its leaves 25" securely attached to thebottom face of the base 22 by means of screws 25. The other leaf 25h ofthe hinge 25 is pivotally attached to the adjacent end of the slide 23by a means which will be hereinafter described. The hinge leaves 25* and25h are pivotally connected together'by means of a pin 21, and a meansis provided for holding the leaves in various pivoted positions withrelation to each other. This means comprises frictional elements 28'which are engaged between the overlapping portions of the hinge leaves25l and 25h concentric with the pin 21 and which acts to Irictionallymaintain the leaves in various pivoted positions.

The means hereinabove referred to for pivotally connecting the hingeleaf 25h to theslide 23 is characterized by a bolt 23. The bolt 29 isprovided with a square portion 30 adjacent its head which engages acomplementary square opening formed in the hinged leaf 25. The squareportion 30 then continues into a cylindrical shank 3l which is extendedthrough a round opening formed in the slide 23. A nut 32 is threadedlyengaged upon the bottom end of the shank 3l and is spaced a considerabledistance from the bottom face of the slide 23. A bushing 33 is slidablybut non-rotatively mounted on the shank 3l and is provided on its faceadjacent the bottom face of the slide 23 with an upwardly extended pin34 which is selectively engageable with one of a plurality of openings35. The openings 35 are arranged in a circle about the circular openingin the slide 23 through which the tubular shank 3l of the bolt 29passes.

The bushing 33 is provided with an inwardly extended projection 35 whichengages a key cutout 31 formed in the side of the shank 3l of the bolt29 for holding the bushing 33 against rotating relative to the shank 3|.A spring 38 is coaxially mounted upon the shank 3l of the bolt andoperates between the adjacent faces of the bushing 33 and the nut 32 forurging the bushing 33 into a position in which its pin 34 will engageone of the openings in the slide 23.

The operation of this form of the invention is as follows:

Normally, the germicidal lamp I5' is disposed in a horizontal positionwithin the housing I0 as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 4. It ispossible to pivot the door 2l to a vertical position, indicated by thedotA and dash lines in Fig. 4, permitting the slide 23 and the base 22carrying the germicidal lamp I5' to be moved outwards relative to thehousing I0 through the opening 20. In this latter position it ispossible to pivot the germicidal lamp I5 and the base 22 to a verticalposition indicated by the dot and dash lines in Fig. 4. The slide 23 maythen be returned to its normal position within the housing I0 permittingthe germicidal lamp to extend in a vertical position in intimate contactwith the adjacent side wall of the housing I0. In this position thegermicidal lamp I5 may be used for the purpose of killing germs andbacteria in the air outside of the housing I0 and permits the 1am-p I5'to be conveniently changed when it is burned out.

It is possible to adjust the angular position` of the base 22 withrelation to the slide 23 for directing the rays of the germicidal lampI5 in any desired direction. With the lamp in the vermal action of thespring 33, freeing the pin 34 from its opening 35 and permitting thebushing 33 tol be turned to turn he bolt 28 to which it is securelylocked. As the square portion 30 of the bolt 29 engages a square`opening in the hinge leaf 25b it will cause the hinge 25 to be turnedwith relation to the slide 23 and similarly adjust the base 22 andgermicidal lamp I5'. When a desired adjusted position is reached thebushing 23 is again .released and the spring 33 will urge the bushing 33upwards causing the pin 34 mounted thereon to engage the opening 35 withwhich it is now aligned to securely lock the base 22 and lamp I5 in itsnewly adjusted position.

In other respects this form of the invention is identical to theprevious form and like parts are indicated by like reference numerals.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. -16, a cabinet 41 has aremovable cover 48. The cabinet is further provided with an inletopening 49 preferably in its back and a grid outlet opening 50preferably in the front. Adjacent the front wall of the cabinet, Iprovide a heating unit, which may be referred to hereinafter in itsentirety as a radiator, and which in general construction is composed of`headers 5I and 52, having interconnecting water tubes 54, 55 and 56,the latter preferably being slightly larger than the other two. Theheader 5l is provided with a filling opening 58 with a closure plugtherefor, which opening is preferably in line with the water tube 54.'Ihe header 5I is further provided with a drain opening 58 with aclosure plug therefor, which opening is preferably in line with thebottom of the water tube 56. Preferably, one of the headers is providedwith a vacuum air valve 59 and the other with a steam blow-off valve 6U.Intermediate the headers 5| and 52, I provide a plurality of heatradiating fins 6| through which the water tubes 54, 55 and 56 extend andare in tight contact therewith. In the water tube 56, I provide animmersion heating element 62, which may be of any commercial type and towhich suitable electrical connection is made as hereinafter described.

The radiator may be supported on any suitable supports, such as theangle bars 63, the ends of which may be secured to the cabinet. Theradiator is mounted in an air duct 64, permitting air intake from belowthe radiator and having an outlet registering with the grid outletopening 5U.

Suitably supported against the inner face of the hack of the cabinet 41and covering the inlet opening 49, I provide a removable air filter 65,which may be of any particular or commercial type suitable to be usedfor this purpose. Positioned inwardly of the filter and preferably inalignment therewith, I provide a suitably mounted electrically operatedfan 66 rotated in a direction to cause a draught of room-air through thefilter 65 into the cabinet as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 11.Suitably mounted on angle irons '61 or in any other desired manner, Iprovide a wheel 68 preferably in alignment with the fan 6B and which isslowly rotated by the air blast therefrom. An air duct 69 is adapted toconvey the air blast through the wheel 68. The discharge end thereofregisters with the opening 'Ill in the air duct 64 so as to dischargethe air blast into the duct 64 where it mingles with heated air risingthrough this duct 64, before it is discharged through the grid opening50. 'I'he front wall of the duct 69 preferably extends back under thewheel 68 to form a water tray 69', the

wheel 63 being so positioned as to permit the lower periphery thereof tobe immersed in the water or other fluid therein during the rotationthereof. If desired a deodorant, disinfectant or perfume compound orsolution may be added to the water in the reservoir 'Il from which thereis communication by means of the pipe 12, controlled by the float valve13, with the water tray 69.` The front wall of the air duct 69 may beprovided with transversely disposed trays 14 in which calcium chlorideor any other suitable compound may be placed when it is desirous ofde-humidifying the air during the summer months or these trays may holda compound for deodorizing, disinfecting or perfuming.

The trays are preferably foraminous so as to permit the air coming fromthe wheel 68 to pass therethrough and contact the compound during itstravel through the duct 69. Referring more particularly to the wheel 68,this wheel preferably is composed of a shaft 'l5 having discs 1l fixedthereto adjacent its ends. 'I'he U-shaped wire frame 11, the ends ofwhich are attached to the respective discs 16 preferably in tangentrelationship to the periphery thereof. Each wire frame 'l1 is coveredwith a fabric, preferably of pocket shape, to cover each side thereof. Acylindrical fabric band 18 encircles the frames 11 and is attached tothe outer ends of the fabric forming the pockets on the frames 'l1 so asto maintain them in substantally equal predetermined spacedrelationship.

Preferably with each cabinet, I provide two wheels, one being coveredwith fabric of a texture so as to be highly absorbent of the liquid inthe tray 69 so that although only a periphery portion passes through theliquid in the tray 69', the whole fabric will be substantially saturatedby a combination of capillary and gravity actions as the wheel rotates.A wheel having thistype of fabric thereon will be used during the Wintermonths, when it is desirous of using my device as a humidifier incombination with a heating radiator. During the summer months, whenthere is a greater amount of humidity in the air, it is often desirousto de-humidify and cool the air. When this is desired a wheel having atightly woven thin fabric, which only will be moistened but notsaturated by its immersion in the liquid in the tray 69', will be used.The air driven through this latter wheel by the fan 66 will be cooledand the humidity of the air decreased by its contact and passage throughthe calcium chloride in the trays 'i4 during passage up through the airduct 69. If desired, a deodorant, disinfectant, or perfume compound orsolution may be added to the liquid in reservoir 'Il which will beexposed to the flow of air by the wheel 68 and carried 01T thereby.

Referring to the electrical circuits, these are illustrated'diagrammatically in Fig. 16. One of the headers, preferably header 5|has suitably connected thereto a steam pressure control switch 'i9 whichmay be of any suitable commercial type used in a variation control oflow pressure. Suitably supported in the cabinet 41, I provide a fuse box80, preferably having an open face, which is positioned adjacent to thewater tube which a plug connection 82 from any suitable source ofelectrical supply may be made. One side of the circuit goes to one poleof the three position switch 83, which in its shown position completesthe circuit through the ian motor and through the heating element 82 andits pressure switch 19 in series, both circuits then extend through thefuse box 80 to the opposite side of the plug-in opening 82'. When theswitch is in this position, as will be common during winter use. boththe heating radiator and the electric fan will be energized. During thesummer, it is naturally not desirous to use the heater shown in Fig. 16to cut oil? the circuit to the heating element 62 and its pressureswitch, the circuit through the motor and the fuse box 80 remainingcompleted. When the switch is moved to ts third position, both circuitswill be broken.

A germicidal lamp 90 is mounted on the iioor of the cabinet 41 beneaththe air duct 24 which houses the heat radiator. This germicidal-isconnected in the electric circuitv provided to be heated. `The rays fromthe lamp 90 will pass upward through the air duct to ,kill air bornegerms and bacteria in the air being conditioned before the air has anopportunity of passing through the outlet grid opening- 50. Thisgermicidal lamp is removably mounted in clips 9| connected with theelectric circuit in parallel.

The fuse 80 is removably mounted upon the bottom wall of the cabinet 41by reason of its engagement with a small angle iron 92 mounted upon thebottom wall of the cabinet 41. A screw 93 projects from the fuse 80 andpasses through an opening in the angle iron 92 and is engaged by a thumbnut 94.

The front wall oi the cabinet 41 beneath the grill opening 50 is formedwith an opening closed by mean of a door 95. The door 95 has its bottomedge hingedly s/upported on the cabinet 41 and its top edge retained ina closed position by means of a pivotally mounted lever 95 whichreleasably engages a pin 91 mounted upon the cabinet 41 above theopening adapted to be closed by the door 95.

lThe construction is such that the door 95 may be opened and the fuse 40removed to permit the lamp 90 to be removed and interchanged with a newone when it becomes burnt out.

Preferably, the cabinet 41 will be mounted on a plurality of casters 86so that it may be conveniently moved around as a portable unit. It hasbeen found very convenient to provide a clothes drying rod to be used incombination with this cabinet. In the drawings Figs. 11 and l2, I haveshown a U-shaped drying rod 84, the ends of which are suitably supportedthrough slotted loops 85 in opposite ends of the cabinet. The cross barof the clothes rod 84 will be supported in front of the cabinet so thatair discharged through the grid opening 50 will provide a means foreasily and quickly drying light clothl. A portable air sterilizing andconditioning machine, comprising a housing having openings for thecirculation of air, a heater within said housing'k and in the path oi'said circulation for warming the air, and a germicidal lamp mounted inthe path oi' said circulation for killing air borne germs and bacteriain the air entering said housing to be warmed, means for slidablymounting said lamp within said housing to be extended from an openingformed in one side of said housing and to be extended vertically alongsaid side, Y

said means comprising a base upon which said germicidal lamp is mounted.a slide upon which said base is pivotally mounted, and means for movablymounting said slide within said housing.

2. A portable air sterilizingand conditioning machine, comprising ahousing having openings for the circulation oi air, a heater within saidhousing and in the path of said circulation for warming the air, and agermicidal lamp mounted in the path of said circulation for killing airborne germs and bacteria in the air entering said housing to be warmed,means for slidably mounting said lamp within said housing to be extendedfrom an opening formed in one side of said housing and to be extendedvertically along said side, said means comprising a base upon which saidgermicidal lamp is mounted, a slide upon which said base is pivotallymounted, and a means for movably mounting said slide within saidhousing, said latter means comprising tracks mounted within said housingand engaging the sides of said slide.

3. A portable air sterilizing and conditioning machine, comprising ahousing having openings for the circulation of air, a heater within saidhousing and in the path of said circulation for warming the air, and agermicidal lamp mounted in the path of said circulation for killing airborne germs and bacteria in the air entering said housing to be warmed,means for slidably mounting said lamp within said housing to be extendedfrom an opening formed in one side of said housing and to be extendedvertically along said side, said means comprising a base upon which saidgermicidal lamp is mounted, a slide upon which said base is pivotallymounted, and a means for movably mounting said slide within saidhousing, said base being connected to said slide by means of a hingehaving its leaves frictionally connected together to frictionallymaintain various pivoted positions with relation to each other.

4. A portable air sterilizing and conditioning machine, comprising ahousing having openings for the circulation of air, a heater within saidhousing and in the path of said circulation for warming the air, and agermicidal lamp mounted in the path of said circulation for killing airborne germs and bacteria in the air entering said housing to be warmed,means for slidably mounting said lamp within said housing to be extendedfrom an opening formed in one side of said housing and to be extendedvertically along said side, said means comprising a base upon which saidgermicidal lamp is mounted, a slide upon which said base is pivotallymounted, and a means for movably mounting said slide within saidhousing, and a lock means arranged in connection with the pivotalmounting of said base on said slide for holding said base and germicidallamp mounted thereon in various pivoted positions with relation to saidslide.

JOSEPH B. GRISON.

